midway

NARC [XBOX / PS2 – Beta]

NARC is an action game that was developed and published by Midway in 2005, for the Xbox and Playstation 2. A planned Nintendo GameCube version was later cancelled. The game’s source code (engine) dates back to the three-year-old State of Emergency but it was updated through the development. [Info from Wikipedia]

Vicente has noticed that in the early screenshots there are various beta differences:

  • The main character models (Marcus and Jack) were changed in the final game
  • The HUD was different
  • Marcus was known as “Hitman” in the beta
  • In a video there’s a chinese talking about the mission, not seen in the final game

Beta Version:

narc-beta1

Final Version:

narc-final

Beta Version:

narc-beta2

Final Version:

narc-final2

Images:
 

Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe [PS3 X360 – Beta / Unused Stuff]

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (also known as MK vs. DCU or MK vs. DC) is a crossover fighting game from Midway Games and Warner Bros. Games in the Mortal Kombat series, which was released on November 2008. Ed Boon later revealed via Twitter (June 23rd, 2009) that two new characters were developed for DLC, Quan Chi from Mortal Kombat and Harley Quinn from DC Universe. Boon also stated that these characters will not be released, due to issues surrounding Midway’s bankruptcy. [Info from Wikipedia]

Images:

MK-vs-DC-dlc-Quan-Chi

Also, FaIr_fIghTeR_ noticed many differences in the early videos of the game:

00:19 – Sub Zero does an attack that is almost similar to Jax’s headkick attack.
00:21 – Sub Zero has a different costume then in the final product.
00:32 – The graveyard stage has a big wall with two statues that give a green light.
00:36 – The freefall physics look horrible.

00:05 – Sonya has Batman’s fighting position.
00:19 – Scorpion has Batman’s fighting position.
00:38 – Flash does an uppercut move.
00:46 – Sub Zero’s ice has a sharpy form.
00:55 – Superman’s freeze breath gives a less detailed ice effect on the enemy.
01:06 – The Fatality cameras are further away from the performer and the screen doesn’t turn black in the background.

00:35 – Superman attacks slower then in the final product.
00:48 – Scorpion’s teleport attack sounds different.
01:16 – Superman chains two simple attacks into a promove. This isn’t possible in the final product.
01:44 – Scorpion does Batman’s footgrab attack.
02:50 – Flash leaves much more speed waves behind.
02:58 – Sonya’s bicycle kick voice sounds like a Japanese girl.
03:22 – The opponent who knocks you down in freefall lands softly, you won’t hear or see him land next to you.
03:57 – Superman’s promove circle is white instead of red/blue

Not only Superman’s Brutality is different, but there are quite a few interesting differences in here.

00:00 – There are no ragebars. There were no breakers or possible use of rage.
00:03 – The SUB ZERO WINS! looks different, it looks like this SUB ZERO WINS!
00:06 – There is no intro song when a new round starts.
00:18 – Superman’s laser is fat.
00:47 – The camera is different and the music is different to.
00:47 – Superman’s Brutality animation is ugly.
00:55 – You hear and see BRUTALITY! instead of HEROIC BRUTALITY!

Thanks a lot to FaIr_fIghTeR_ for the contribution!

 

The Executives [PS2 – Cancelled]

The Executives was an action game in development in 2003 for the Playstation 2 by The Collective studios, that was going to be published by Midway. The game was never officially announced and it was cancelled during the early stages of development. Only some screenshots and concept arts remains from the project

It’s interesting to note that in some of these concepts, the title of the game was changed to “Career Criminal”. A title which was also used for an internally developed but also cancelled Midway game (see “Career Criminal”, a cancelled Xbox 360 / PS3 game). That project was started soon after the efforts of The Collective were cancelled.

Images: 

Hero (Midway Prototype) [Xbox 360 PS3 – Cancelled]

In 2008 Midway were working on various prototypes for the Xbox 360 and PS3: this one was a proto for a third person shooter / hack ‘n’ slash (that somehow reminds me of Phantom Dust), based on Unreal Engine 3 and inspired by Gears of War style cover system, that at the time was known as “Hero“. With the bankruptcy of the company, this project was cancelled but you can find a lot of info in the video below.

Thanks to Hey Hey for the contribution!

Images:

Videos:
 

Wheelman [XBOX / PS2 – Unreleased]

In 2005 Rat Bag Games were developing an action game for the original XBOX and Playstation 2, with third person shooter and racing elements. After Midway bough the studio and shut it down, the Rat Bag project was cancelled and team was fired right before Xmas. It seems that a year later, Midway took the assets from this cancelled project to build a “new” Wheelman game, announced in February 2006 and then released in March 2009 for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Thanks to Hey Hey for the contribution!

Video: